David Orentlicher: Political polarization driven by income inequality, other factors

5:07 PM,
Aug. 15, 2013

Written by

David Orentlicher

With comprehensive immigration reform faltering in the face of political polarization, the need for electoral reform continues to grow. Partisan conflict prevents members of Congress from responding to key national problems, whether illegal immigration, budget deficits, gun violence or global warming.

Many observers believe we can defuse political polarization by eliminating the gerrymandering of congressional districts. In this view, partisan conflict has escalated because of the way that electoral maps are drawn. Party strategists employ sophisticated computer ...